While no one in the UDPS dares to talk about the presidential election and Tshisekedi's succession, everyone is thinking about it.
The Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the party led by President Félix Tshisekedi, has been in power in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but it now faces internal turmoil.
The bone of contention threatening to distract the President in efforts to stabilise the ship is the person of secretary-general Augustin Kabuya, whom some cadres and activists want to step down to pave the way for others to “reorganise the party.”
A political crisis has been brewing for months and has now come to light.
It began in January 2019, when Tshisekedi, the party's chairman at the time, was required to hand over the reins when he became President of the country. Jean-Marc Kabund and Kabuya were mandated to occupy, on an interim basis, the posts of chairman and secretary-general respectively.
Over time, Kabund became an opponent of the Tshisekedi region and was imprisoned, while Kabuya remained on board, with deference only to the President, who can no longer make official decisions of the party.
But Kabuya, the de facto boss, is more often than not deflecting attacks by some of his comrades, who have chosen Deogratias Bizibu to replace him.
The party “rebels” accuse him of nepotism and mismanagement, and now the two camps are battling for control of the party.
It was Eteni Longondo, a party executive and member of parliament, who took the lead in demanding a congress to reorganise the party.
he war in the party is so vicious that even President Tshisekedi is struggling to bring calm. In public, the head of State hails it as “democratic vitality of the party,” but in private, he has tried -- so far in vain – to calm the opposing sides.
But he has vowed to retain Kabuya, the man he trusts. Observers say Kabuya owes his retention in office solely to this backing of the President.
The President's mother, Marthe Kasalu, has had to step in to push for a truce as Bizibu’s camp planned to forcibly take possession of the party headquarters.
Since the death of the President’s father Etienne Tshisekedi on February 1, 2017, the matriarch has become the most respected figure in the party. The highly influential “Maman Marthe” and the President have succeeded in temporarily keeping the party from imploding.
UDPS was founded in 1982 and is emblematic of the fight against the dreaded former president Mobutu Sese Seko and the Kabilas, Laurent-Désiré and Joseph.
Maman Marthe has persuaded the two factions’ leaders to make peace, the common objective being to retain power.
Mr Kabuya has also addressed his opponents as “my brothers.”
“Let's keep power first,” Mr Kabuya said.
The heirs of Etienne, a former opposition chief, fear the possibility of losing power in 2028, when the next general election is expected.
The electoral battle in four years' time will be a major issue. Behind the scenes, preparations for the 2028 elections are already underway.
Under the constitution, President Tshisekedi should not stand again. He is serving his second and last term. But the UDPS wants to keep power.
“I want the party to work as it should so that in 2028, we elect more than 300 MPs (a comfortable parliamentary majority). I say to all the fighters (UDPS members) that we must carry out reforms, otherwise we'll be crying in 2028 if things go on like this,” said Eteni Longondo, a former Health minister.
While no one in the UDPS dares to talk about the presidential election and Tshisekedi's succession, everyone is thinking about it.
President Tshisekedi himself has made statements that have hinted a possible review of the constitution. In May this year, while in Paris, the head of State was questioned by the public on the subject.
“Don't make me out to be a dictator,” he replied. “This is not a matter for me alone, but rather for the people through their representatives in the National Assembly.”
Two days later, while in Brussels addressing Congolese diaspora, the President broached the subject and went further to state that he was going to launch a law review.
“I will set up a commission to think calmly about how to give ourselves a constitution worthy of our country,” he said.